The instant invention relates to infant playyards and more particularly to a playyard for an infant which is quickly and easily movable between a collapsed position and an erected position.
A variety of different playyards have been heretofore available and, in this regard, the playyards disclosed in the Peterson U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,411; Satt et al., No. 4,070,716; Cirillo, No. 4,376,318; Hwang, No. 4,561,138; Saint, No. 4,573,224; Osher et al., No. 4,651,367; Kohus et al., No. 4,688,280; Fetters, No. 4,692,953; Shamie et al., No. 4,837,875; Mariol, No. 4,985,948; Shamie, No. 5,197,154; Brevi et al., No. 5,228,154; Huang, No. 5,239,714; Shamie, No. 5,243,718; Teng, No. 5,279,006; Cheng, No. 5,381,570; and Chuang, No. 5,394,574, represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the Applicant is aware.
It has generally been found that in order to be effective, a playyard must be sufficiently rugged and durable to provide a suitable confining structure for an infant. In addition, however, it has been found that it is highly desirable for a playyard to be readily collapsible to a sufficiently reduced overall size to enable it to be easily transported. However, while the desirability of having a playyard structure which is readily and easily collapsible has generally been heretofore recognized, the prior art, particularly as exemplified by the playyard structures disclosed in the above-referenced U.S. Patents, has failed to provide a playyard which is quickly and easily collapsible with a minimum of manipulative operations. Hence, a need exists for an effective and durable playyard for an infant which is effectively adapted to be moved between collapsed and erected positions with a minimum of simple manipulative operations.
The instant invention provides a highly effective playyard and subassembly therefore which are adapted to enable the playyard to be moved between collapsed and erected positions with a minimum of manipulative operations. Specifically, the playyard of the instant invention comprises a frame subassembly comprising a plurality of collapsible frame elements which are connected so that when the subassembly is in an erected position, the frame elements essentially work against one another to prevent the subassembly from being inadvertently collapsed, but so that when one of the frame elements is manually moved to a collapsed position, at least one adjacent frame element connected thereto is automatically moved to a readily collapsible position. Still more specifically, the frame subassembly of the instant invention comprises at least two, and preferably three, collapsible frame elements which are connected in such a way so that when one of the frame elements is collapsed by pivoting a pair of frame sections thereof about a center knuckle joint, the one or more adjacent frame elements connected thereto are at least partially rotated to reorient knuckle joints therein so that they can be readily and easily collapsed. In this regard, because the frame subassembly is constructed so that certain of the frame elements thereof are reoriented to collapsible positions when other frame elements are moved to collapsed positions, the subassembly can be retained in an erected position with a minimum of locking mechanisms so that only a minimum number of unlocking operations is required to move the subassembly to a fully collapsed position.
Still more specifically, the collapsible frame subassembly of the instant invention in its most basic format comprises first and second frame members which are connected together in substantially perpendicular relation. The first and second frame members each include a pair of frame member sections which are joined by a knuckle joint, and the knuckle joints each only permit relative pivotal movement between the respective frame member sections thereof in a single direction. The directions of pivotal movement permitted by the knuckle joints of the first and second frame members are oriented at an angle of at least approximately 90 degrees when the subassembly is in an erected position. The second frame member is, however, attached to the first frame member such that relative pivoting between the second frame member sections thereof to substantially side-by-side positions causes the knuckle joint of the first frame member to be reoriented by approximately 90 degrees to permit the first frame member to be collapsed in a corresponding predetermined direction.
The collapsible subassembly preferably includes first, second and third frame members which are connected together so that they are positionable in an erected position in which the first and third frame members are disposed and spaced in substantially parallel coplanar relation and in which the first and second frame members cooperate with the second frame member to define a generally square-cornered U-shaped structure. The frame members each include a pair of frame member sections which are pivotally joined together by a knuckle joint, and the frame members are constructed so that the frame member sections thereof are in aligned relation when the frame member sections are in erected positions. The knuckle joints are adapted so that they only permit relative pivotal movement between the frame member sections thereof in a single direction from aligned relation, and the first and third frame members are oriented so that when the subassembly is in the erected position thereof, the knuckle joints of the first and third frame members only permit pivoting between the respective frame member sections thereof in directions which are angularly related by an angle of at least approximately 90 degrees. Further, the second frame member is connected to the first and third frame members such that relative pivoting between the second frame member sections to substantially parallel side-by-side positions causes sufficient angular rotation of the knuckle joint of at least one of the first and third frame members to permit relative pivoting between the frame member sections of the first and third members in substantially the same direction for collapsing the subassembly. The collapsible subassembly preferably further comprises means for releasably maintaining the second frame member in the erected position thereof, and the first and third frame members are preferably retained in the erected positions thereof by the relative positions of the knuckle joints thereof when the subassembly is in the erected position. The subassembly is preferably adapted to be included as part of the frame assembly of a collapsible playyard wherein covering means is provided on the frame assembly. Further, the covering means preferably functions to help prevent pivoting of the knuckle joint of at least one of the first and third frame members when the subassembly is in the erected position thereof, but not when the second frame member is in a collapsed position. Accordingly, the covering means on the playyard preferably cooperates with the frame subassembly for retaining the frame assembly in an erected position in a manner which nevertheless allows the frame assembly to be readily and easily collapsed.
It has been found that the instant invention provides a highly effective and readily collapsible playyard for an infant. In this regard, by utilizing frame members which essentially work against each other to retain the playyard in an erected position but which are automatically reoriented to collapsible positions as an adjacent frame member is collapsed, the playyard of the instant invention can be effectively retained in an erected position with a minimum of locking or latching elements. As a result, it can be automatically moved to a collapsed position with a minimum of unlocking or unlatching manipulations.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective playyard for an infant which is adapted to be moved between erected and collapsed positions with a minimum of manipulations.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a readily collapsible playyard assembly which is operative with a minimum of locking or latching elements for retaining it in an erected position.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective subassembly for a playyard wherein certain frame members of the subassembly are automatically moved to collapsible positions once adjacent frame members have been collapsed.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.